opposing unnecessary, excessive and intrusive powerline development

REVOLT Newsletter 203

Revolt news 21/12/2005

*** SEASON'S GREETINGS *** *** TO ALL OUR READERS ***

1. From a
parallel universe (Living Streets, Winter 2005, formerly the Pedestrians'
Association): "... wouldn't it be great if local government, like a
magic fairy, just knew intuitively what local people wanted, could foresee
conflicts of interest and work out the perfect compromise in advance,,
could see international developments and always be one step ahead ... yes,
it's absurd. And even if government could do all this, we wouldn't be
happy because we would be passive recipients of utopia ... As in life, as
in government. We all have to join the struggle." Elsewhere that
newsletter reports government's plans for Community Empowerment from the
ODPM / Home Office vision in "Citizen Engagement and Public
Services". Engagement and empowerment - key terms nowadays.

2.
Press reports on Beauly - Denny suggest 12,000 objections have been
received including one from George Reid, the presiding officer at the
Scottish Parliament (APPENDIX A).

3. Another proposal before the
Scottish Executive seems to have been sneaked in just before Christmas
with a closing date of 23 December, although they may have to readvertise
and give 28 days notice which would take the deadline to Jan 28th.. This
is for a wind farm with implications for a power line from the west
Highland coast to Beauly near Inverness (APPENDIX B).

4. Energy
regulator Ofgem has approved the fast-tracking of £190m Scottish Power
network upgrade (APPENDIX C). This upgrade of the interconnector is part
of a £560m investment programme announced by Ofgem in December 2004 to
bring energy from renewables projects spread across the north of Scotland.

5.
Highland Council has responded to objectors to the Beauly - Denny line by
offering a Hearing of its own. It is to be a very streamlined affair with
a short deadline for reply, which I hope is not an attempt to avoid a
proper public inquiry. My response is at APPENDIX D.

6. Friends of
the Lake District newsletter no. 5 of December 05 (short extracts at
APPENDIX E) reports on the programme agreed by Ofgem to underground 1.5%
of distribution lines in National Parks and AONBs. That gives important
recognition to the negative impact of powerlines on the landscape. Ofcom
however is not so helpful in respect of telecoms equipment.

7. Moves
are afoot to strengthen centralised power over planning in Scotland
(APPENDIX F). The "green" fundamentalists seem uncomfortable,
welcoming forced wind farms but nervous of blocking local objection on
other projects.

Twelve thousand objections have been lodged against
plans for a 137-mile electricity pylon line in the Highlands.

The
figure was revealed yesterday as the deadline for public comment passed.

Protesters
along the route have mounted campaigns against the 600 giant pylons - some
up to 200ft high - needed to transport "green" power from new
wind farms.

They are concerned about the potential cancer risk posed
by upgrading the ageing 132,000-volt power line to 400,000 volts.

They
also fear that it will have a damaging effect on property prices, threaten
rare wildlife and harm tourism in an area famed for its mountains, moors
and woodlands.

Campaigners opposed to the project, who want sections
of the line to run underground, include Lord Lovat, the head of the Lovat
Fraser clan, and his sister, Honor Fraser, the model.

Douglas Rae,
of Ecosse Films, which made the television series Monarch of the Glen and
the film Mrs Brown, starring Dame Judi Dench and Billy Connolly, has
warned that the pylons could force filmmakers to look beyond Scotland for
scenic locations.

The protesters want a public inquiry into the
line, which is due to replace smaller pylons running between Beauly, near
Inverness, and Denny, near Stirling.

Lord Lovat, 28, took part in a
protest march in Beauly at the weekend. He said the campaigners were not
against renewable energy but wanted the burial of sections of the line
properly investigated by the power company Scottish and Southern Energy.

Bruce
Crawford, the Scottish National Party MSP, said: "There are going to
be more than 800 homes within 600 metres of the pylons."

Scottish
and Southern Energy said there would be 200 fewer pylons than at present
and insisted that all health guidelines were being observed.

A
spokesman added that putting the line underground was technically
difficult, created maintenance problems and was up to 12 times more
expensive than using pylons.

Reid
adds voice to the power struggle DOUGLAS FRASER, Scottish Political Editor
December 13 2005 GEORGE Reid, the presiding officer at the Scottish
Parliament, yesterday became one of 12,000 objectors to the building of a
power line from the Highlands to Stirlingshire. As the deadline for
objections closed, he made a rare intervention in a highly controversial
issue, lodging a formal complaint about the proposed building of pylons
between Beauly, west of Inverness, and Denny, near Stirling. He called for
a public inquiry which would have to examine the options of burying the
cable along the 137-mile route, or of laying it on the seabed between the
Minch and Liverpool. As the MSP for Ochil, elected in 2003 under a
Scottish National party banner, Mr Reid highlighted the eyesore that could
be created near Stirling Castle, Bannockburn and Stirling Bridge battle
sites, Yellowcraigs Wood, across Sheriffmuir and, in particular, the
Wallace monument. "I cannot think of any other country which would
permit such a blight so close to a landmark which symbolises the right of
the people to be a nation," he said. The plan, proposed by
subsidiaries of Scottish and Southern Energy (SSE) and ScottishPower, is
to upgrade the capacity of the power line, which would require fewer but
taller pylons. This would allow developments in wind, wave, and tidal
power to be transmitted from the Highlands to population centres.
Opponents claim it carries an increased cancer risk, as well as blighting
some of Scotland's most beautiful countryside, harming tourism and
film-making. Pylon Pressure, representing communities throughout
Inverness-shire, has collected 5000 objections. High-profile campaigners
have included Kenny Logan, the former Scotland rugby international, and
Lord Lovat, chief of the clan Fraser, who led a protest march in Beauly at
the weekend. "We are not against renewable energy, but the question
of safely burying this line needs to be properly examined," said Lord
Lovat, 28. "These overhead lines threaten not only the landscape and
tourist economy, but every facet of local life from children's health to
property values. This is the next generation of pylons and, if we allow
the first one through, then we open the f loodgates to even more."
Bruce Crawford, an SNP MSP, is trying to get time at Holyrood for a debate
on the issue, over which Mr Reid has said he would let his deputies
preside. Campaigners are drawing evidence from an academic study that
links high- voltage power lines to child leukemia, with 800 homes expected
to be within 600 metres of the pylons. Mr Reid said he has been arguing
his constituents' case with SSE for 18 months, but said the alternatives
of burying cables or undersea routing have been rapidly dismissed on cost
grounds. SSE argues there will be 200 fewer pylons than the present 800
along the route, though they will be up to 65m high. The present pylons
range from 25-41m. The new pylons would be similar to a power line through
East Lothian, and only half the height of Scotland's tallest pylons, close
to the Forth. The company also claims the cost of going below ground would
be up to 12 times the £320m overground price, and that underground
cabling could do more environmental damage - by being buried, insulation
fluid could leak - and it would be more difficult to repair faults. It is
intended that 60% of the route should follow the power line through the
central Highlands, with some diversion from the most scenic areas. The
power companies claim that only 10 homes would be within 100m of the line.

*****
*****

APPENDIX B Wild Land not Waste Land

LZN Ltd Loch
Glascarnoch to Loch Luichart Windfarm proposals

An application has
been lodged with the Scottish Executive to build a windfarm between Loch
Glascarnoch and Lochluichart. It will involve 43 windturbines each 120
metres high, between the A835 and the A832. They will be visible from Ben
Wyvis, An Teallach, Beinn Dearg, the Fannichs and the Strathfarrar and
Torridon Hills.

Transmission of the 129 MW of electricity may be via
a converter station on the hill, a cable to Mossford and an upgraded
transmission line from Luichart to Beauly.

The scheme will bring a
profound change to the local environment of Wester Ross . The area has no
special designations, but it is special to the people who live nearby,
travel along the route and to the tourists who relish the wild aspect of
Wester Ross before they come over the Dirrie Mhor.

The site for the
proposed windfarm is described by the developers as DEGRADED
HABITAT........WORKING LANDSCAPE........ between what they call THE
SEMI-URBAN HINTERLAND OF INVERNESS and Wester Ross. This is not how the
local inhabitants view their environment.

In Highland communities
there is an historic concept linking communities to "The Hill".
People have for generations lived, worked and enjoyed recreation alongside
the wildlife and their habitat. These day to day or month to month
movements of animals and birds were just part of the annual cycle, and at
a local level were accepted as normal and rarely commented on. This
fundamental distinction of Highland communities has either not been
grasped or is being ignored by the Highland Council and SNH. Hitherto
unknown sites of nests, sets, dens and holts have to be disclosed in an
effort to save land largely ignored in detail. The developers have
identified Golden Eagle, Peregrine Falcon, Merlin, Golden Plover, and Red
Throated diver amongst many others as being at risk if the development
goes ahead

The help of those who visit the area for its cultural,
scenic and recreational assets would be much appreciated. Members of the
community and friends of the area can find out more about the plans LZN on
01202 856800) . Plans are also on view in the Highland Council Planning
Office and the Garve and Lochluichart Post Offices. BUT TIME IS SHORT .
Although the communities involved have been given verbal assurances that
objections or calls for a public enquiry may be made into the new year,
the official deadline stands at December 23rd 2005.

If you would
like to send objections or representations on this major scheme in our
area please write, identifying the proposals and specifying the grounds
for objection, to

SCOTTISH POWER has been given clearance by the
energy regulator to fast- track a £190m upgrade of Scotland's power
network due to the flood of renewable energy projects emerging across the
country.

Ofgem's head of energy transmission Robert Hull wrote to
Scottish Power chief executive Ian Russell last week to reveal that he has
waived previous conditions attached to the scheme, which could have left
it bogged down in red tape for several years.

One of the conditions
had been that the firm would have to wait for its Perth-based rival
Scottish & Southern Energy to receive planning permission for its
controversial upgrade of the Beauly to Denny power line - which has
attracted 12,000 objections.

The Scottish Power project will bring
extra capacity into the 'interconnector' that plugs Scotland's power
network into the rest of the national grid. Construction work is now due
to begin next summer.

A Scottish Power spokesman said: "The
interconnector upgrade is fundamental to unlocking the potential of
renewables in Scotland. We welcome recognition of this from Ofgem and the
decision that the upgrade is justified in its own right. We also remain
fully committed to the Beauly-Denny upgrade to facilitate the development
of renewables in the north of Scotland."

The upgrade of the
interconnector is part of a £560m investment programme announced by Ofgem
in December 2004 to bring energy from renewables projects spread across
the north of Scotland. It is the single biggest overhaul of the Scottish
grid in more than 40 years.

Under the plans, the proposed £250m
Beauly to Denny power line would act as the main thoroughfare to bring
power from renewables projects in the north of Scotland to the central
belt. The upgrade of the interconnector would then be required to export
that additional power into the national grid.

But the number of wind
farms and other renewables projects given the green light in Scotland
means that additional capacity will be required in the interconnector
sooner than expected, irrespective of progress on the Beauly to Denny
line.

The interconnector upgrade will see its capacity soar and
should be completed by 2011.

Ofgem said the decision to sanction the
project separately to the Beauly to Denny line had been backed up by
research from an independent consultancy into the number of renewables
projects that had been sanctioned and their anticipated contribution to
grid capacity.

I do not expect to attend the
Hearing. Given the format for the Hearing, and the limited time for
presentations (and presumably questions), it would seem unsuitable for
considering technical or scientific evidence, though I understand the
practicalities.

Could you please assure me that the Hearing is not
intended as a substitute for a public inquiry nor an attempt to prevent
one being held?

My concern is that some matters need to be examined
at a public inquiry. Perhaps a first step is to convince the Council of
that. In that light my formal response to the Scottish Executive sets out
briefly some considerations which warrant a public inquiry.

Specifically
on the subject of underground cables, may I hereby formally invite the
members of the Hearing, or if preferred its Chair and supporting officer,
to inspect the 5.7 km underground 400 kV cable sites in and near North
Yorkshire. This will demonstrate directly that the negative impressions of
the impact of underground cable are not valid.

It will be a matter
for public inquiry to determine what fraction and parts of the Beauly -
Denny line might be rejected on the grounds that undergrounding would be a
feasible and preferable option. Your Hearing could not do that, but in
calling for an inquiry (or not) the Council should be properly aware of
the general feasibility and impact of undergrounding some fraction of the
line.

The North Yorkshire cables were installed only in 2001-2003,
the installation period being severely prolonged by the incidence of foot-
and-mouth disease. They are oil-filled cables, a technology now becoming
obsolete in favour of XLPE cables, which are simpler and easier to
maintain and have even less long-term impact.

I would be willing to
show members the cable sites, and also to liaise with National Grid, who I
am confident could show members the installation and discuss
technicalities, and with local landowners who could discuss the impact,
both short-term during construction and longer term which members can also
see directly. It may be better for members to meet landowners I might
nominate as well as any National Grid might nominate, to get a balanced
picture.

BBC Scotland took video of the North Yorkshire cable sites
in October this year. I would recommend that Hearing members see that
video, which I could make available and no doubt BBC Scotland could too.
Still photographs taken in August this year can be seen on www.revolt.co.uk
.

I would also be willing to answer members' questions on
precautionary policy for electric and magnetic fields. I am a member of
the DH group SAGE, although I should point out that no member of SAGE can
speak for it, as it has not yet pronounced. I can however speak about the
process and the subject more generally.

***** *****

APPENDIX E
Short Extracts from Friends of the Lake District newsletter no. 5 Dec 05. http://www.fld.org.uk

Work
is now being carried out around the country to take forward the proposals
made by Ofgem, the government regulator of the electricity industry, to
underground 1.5% of intrusive overhead wires that fall within National
Parks and Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty. An allowance has been made
in recognition of the high impact overhead wires can have on the landscape
and the hope is that it will result in the removal of some of the most
intrusive lines in the UK. The money can only be spent on lines that are
part of the regional distribution networks across the country, and not the
lines supported by metal pylons that form part of the National Grid.

Undergrounding
around the country It is encouraging to hear that electricity companies
around the country are taking forward the initiative to spend the
voluntary allowance made by Ofgem to improve our landscape. Amongst
others, we have had reports of meetings taking place with CE Electric UK
that cover the North East of England and Scottish and Southern contacting
the AONBs/NPs in the Southern Electric area.

Telecommunications
Environmental Obligations Lord Currie, the Chair of Ofcom, stated in a
letter to Friends of the Lake District that 'Ofcom has no specific duty to
have regard to environmental matters'. Working together with the Council
for National Parks, we have been pursuing this matter further with DEFRA
and the DTI. We now await correspondence from the DTI and also from DEFRA
who have written to Ofcom to ensure that they are fully aware of their
duties to have regard to the purposes of National Parks and Areas of
Outstanding Natural Beauty when carrying out any work.